AU715660B2

AU715660B2 - Improvements to agricultural implements

Info

Publication number: AU715660B2
Application number: AU15137/97A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Allan James Yeomans
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-03-08
Filing date: 1997-03-06
Publication date: 2000-02-10
Anticipated expiration: 2017-03-06
Also published as: AU1513797A

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: ALLAN JAMES YEOMANS ALLAN JAMES YEOMANS JOHN R. G. GARDNER SUITE 398 ALBERT AVENUE BROADBEACH QLD 4218 IMPROVEMENTS TO AGRICULTURAL

IMPLEMENTS

ications No: PN 8547 filed 8 March 1996 Invention title: Details of Associated Provisional Appl The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it know to me:- This invention relates to improvements to agricultural implements and in particular to furrowing or hilling implements.

Agricultural implements of a number of different designs are currently available which are designed for hilling or furrowing operations. In such operations, a V-shaped channel is usually formed in the ground and the soil in the channel is scooped and directed upwardly and to the sides by the implement as it travels along forming the channel in the ground with hills established on opposite sides of the channel. This operation involves relatively high loads upon the implement and many implements designed for this purpose do not operate efficiently.

In some arrangements, the furrowing or hilling 15 implement is attached to a plough shank, usually by being bolted to the rear of the shank. These arrangements, however, do not effectively resist the side loads encountered with hilling and furrowing operations.

The present invention aims to overcome or alleviate the above disadvantages or at least provide an alternative to the know arrangements by providing an improved hilling or furrowing implement and a method and means for mounting such an implement to the shank of an agricultural tool such as a plough shank so as to resist loads, 25 particularly side loads, encountered in agricultural operations. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

The present invention thus provides in one aspect furrowing or hilling implement adapted to be mounted to a shank of an agricultural tool to extend rearwardly therefrom, said implement having upper and lower slots for receiving said shank and there being provided wedging means for wedging said shank in at least one of said slots to prevent or minimise movement of said implement relative to said tool.

The implement suitably includes a pair of opposite mould boards and upper and lower support members which join and support the mould boards, the upper and lower support members including the upper and lower slots respectively which in use are substantially vertically aligned. The implement suitably also includes a frame members extending between the upper and lower support members to which the rear of the shank may be attached by any suitable connection arrangement.

The wedging means in one form may comprise a wedging member which may be urged into the slot so as to be wedged between a side wall of the slot and a side of the shank. The wedging means may be urged into the slot by means of threaded fastener such as a bolt or stud. The threaded end of the bolt or stud and may pass through an apertured portion of the implement for engagement with a nut. When the nut is tightened, the wedging means is urged into the slot.

The apertured portion of the implement may comprise an 15 apertured lug. The apertured lug is suitably provided on a S•support member The wedging means in one configuration may be of U-shaped configuration for example a U-bolt. In such a configuration, the opposite threaded legs of the U-bolt pass through respective apertures in the aforementioned lug for engagement with nuts. The legs are suitably located on a opposite sides of the support member. The base of the Ubolt suitably comprises the wedging means which is urged between a side wall of the slot and a side face of the shank.

25 The wedging means may be associated with one or both slots of the implement. Where associated with both slots, the wedging means associated with one slot may be provided on opposite sides of the shank to the wedging means associated with the other slot so as to apply opposite wedging forces to the shank.

The present invention in a further aspect provides an agricultural tool assembly including an agricultural tool having a tool shank and a furrowing or hilling implement mounted to said tool shank and extending rearwardly thereof, said implement having upper and lower slots receiving said shank and there being provided wedging means for wedging said shank in at least one of said slots to prevent or minimise Smovement of said implement relative to said tool.

In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method of securing a hilling or furrowing implement to the shank of an agricultural tool, said implement having upper and lower slots for receiving said shank, said method including the steps of locating said shank within said slots for connection to said tool shank such that said implement extends rearwardly of said tool shank, and arranging wedging means between said shank and the wall of at least one said slot to prevent or minimise movement of said implement relative to said shank.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:-

V.

15 Figs. 1 to 3 illustrate perspective views of the S.implement according to the present invention shown in S. Fig. 2 associated with a shank (in dotted outline); S: Fig. 4 is an underside view of the implement showing the arrangement for securing the shank to the implement; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view along line A-A of Fig. 4.

F Referring to the drawings and firstly to Figs. 1 to 3, there is illustrated a furrowing or hilling implement 25 10 according to the present invention which is normally adapted to be mounted on the trailing side of a conventional tool shank 11 of, for example, a ripper tyne (as shown in dotted outline in Fig. The implement 10 for this purpose includes upper and lower support members 12 and 13, each of which is provided with a forwardly extending and open slot 14 and 15 respectively into which the shank 11 may be received, the slots 14 and 15 being substantially vertically aligned in use. The implement 10 further includes mould boards 16 which serve the hilling or furrowing function required in the implement 10, the mould boards 16 including portions which are inclined upwardly and flared outwardly, the mould boards 16 being fixed to the upper and lower support members 12 and 13. Extending between the upper and lower support members 12 and 13 is a frame member 27. The rear of the shank 11 is attached by means of a suitable lug or bracket and fasteners such as bolts to the frame member 27 as is known in the art.

As shown more clearly in Figs. 2, 4 and 5 the shank 11 as is conventional has a generally wedge-shaped cross-section, such that when located in the slots 14 and rearwardly tapering gaps 16 are defined between the opposite side face 17 of the shank 11 and the opposite sides 18 and 19 of the slots 14 and 15. Usually the shank 11 is of a cast construction and thus is often not a neat fit within the slots 14 and To firmly secure the shank 11 to the implement and retain the shank 11 within the slots 14 and 15, a wedging device 20 is provided for wedging between the side wall of *15 the shank 11 and a side 18 or 19 of the slot 15 in the tapering space 16 defined therebetween. The wedging device *o r 20 in this embodiment comprises a U-bolt having a pair of legs 21 and an end or base 22 joining the legs 21 which forms the wedging function. The legs 21 are arranged on opposite sides of the support member 13 and extend rearwardly from the shank 11 and pass through openings 23 in a lug 24 fixed to, and extending to opposite sides of, the member 13. The ends oa of the legs 21 are threaded as at 25 to receive nuts 26 which when tightened against the bracket 24 draw the end 22 of the 25 U-bolt 20 along the tapering space 16 between the shank 11 and slot side 19 until it engages with, and is firmly wedged between the shank 11 and the slot side 19. This will firmly hold the shank 11 to the implement 10 and prevent any shaking or wobbling movement therebetween in use.

The embodiment described above shows the wedging device 20 in the form of a U-bolt arranged only on one side of the shank 11 and associated with only the slot 15 of the lower support member 13. If desired, however, a similar wedging device 20 may be provided on the other side of the shank 11 in the slot 15. As stated above also, one or more wedging devices 20 may be also associated with the top slot 14 to engage with the side or sides of the shank 11 and slot 14 in a similar manner to that described above.

Where only one wedging device 20 is provided within each slot 14 or 15 it is preferred that they be arranged on opposite sides of the shank 11 such that opposite wedging forces are applied to the shank 11.

Tool shanks 11 are normally of the tapered cross-sectional form shown in Fig. 4 thus defining the tapering slot or space 16. Where there is less or no taper on the shank 11, the slots 14 and 15 may be constructed to have a tapering width, that is tapering inwardly from their open end so as to define the tapering space 16 for receipt of the wedging device 20. The leading end of one or both sides 18 or 19 of the slot may also be flared outwardly to define or enhance the taper.

Alternatively, where the slots 14 and 15 and shank 17 have parallel sides the wedging device 20 may have its wedging member 22 of a wedge-shaped configuration, that is of i a tapering width such that it may be urged into a slot 14 or to effect a wedging action with the shank 11.

Of course, other means may be provided to effect the wedging action. For example, the U-bolt wedging device may be replaced by a wedging block which, for example may have a thread or threads therein for engagement by a bolt or bolts which pass through an aperture or apertures 23 in the lug 24 to engage the block. Tightening of the bolt or bolts 25 will urge the wedging block further into the tapering space 16 to wedgingly hold the shank 11 to the implement 10. Many other wedging arrangements may also be provided for this purpose as any wedging means between the shank 11 and the implement 10 will serve the purpose of securely holding the shank 11 to the implement The above has been given by way of illustrative embodiment of the invention however all such modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A furrowing or hilling implement adapted to be mounted to a shank of an agricultural tool to extend rearwardly therefrom, said implement having upper and lower slots for receiving said shank and there being provided wedging means for wedging said shank in at least one of said slots to prevent or minimise movement of said implement relative to said tool.

2. An implement according to Claim 1 wherein said wedging means comprises a wedging member, and means for urging said wedging member into said slot to wedge said member between a side wall of said slot and a side of said shank. .o*

3. An implement according to Claim 2 wherein said i; urging means includes a threaded member passing through an S* apertured portion of said implement for engagement with a nut.

4. An implement according to Claim 3 wherein said threaded member comprises a bolt or stud.

5. An implement according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 25 wherein said apertured portion of said implement comprises an .apertured lug.

6. An implement according to Claim 5 wherein said wedging means comprises a U-shaped member having a pair of opposite threaded legs and a base comprising said wedging member.

7. An implement according to claim 6 wherein said opposite threaded legs of said U-shaped member pass through respective apertures in said lug for engagement with respective nuts.

8. An implement according to any one of the preceding claims including a pair of opposite mould boards and upper and lower support members supporting said mould boards, said upper and lower support members including said upper and lower slots respectively.

9. An implement according to any one of Claims 1 to 8 wherein said wedging means comprise wedging means associated with both said slots.

10. An implement according to claim 9 wherein said wedging means associated with one said slot is provided on the opposite side of said shank to the wedging means associated with the other said slot.

11. An agricultural tool assembly including an agricultural tool having a tool shank and a furrowing or hilling implement mounted to said tool shank and extending rearwardly thereof, said implement having upper and lower slots receiving said shank and there being provided wedging means for wedging said shank in at least one of said slots to prevent or minimise movement of said implement relative to said tool.

12. A method of securing a hilling or furrowing 25 implement to the shank of an agricultural tool, said *implement having upper and lower slots for receiving said shank, said method including the steps of locating said shank within said slots for connection to said tool shank such that said implement extends rearwardly of said tool shank, and arranging wedging means between said shank and the wall of at least one said slot to prevent or minimise movement of said implement relative to said shank.

13. A hilling or furrowing implement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. An agricultural tool assembly comprising a hilling 9 or furrowing implement and agricultural tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. A method of securing a hilling or furrowing implement to an agricultural tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this thirtieth day of November 1999 ALLAN JAMES YEOMANS By My Patent Attorney .4. John R. G. Gardner g o 4a*